remuxing mkvext .h264 and .ac3 files to .avi/ts container?

[tastyratz]

So I have ripped my bluray collection to my pc using a bdr drive I borrowed from a friend when I first got my ps3. I stupidly made them all .mkv files - this doesn't fly for my ps3 OR my nero mediahome app for streaming.
Now I am stuck with the mkv files. My friend with the BDR drive had a basement flood and hence lost the drive. I no longer can just "re-rip" and call it a day.

I want to burn these files in nero to avchd disc's tucking away my expensive bluray originals from munchkin monsters, and I want to have them in AVI containers to stream or watch on my pc if need be.

Theres a slew of tools for stuffing anything you want into the mkv container. Theres crap for tools and documentation for the other way around.

So far I have been able to extract the ac3 audio as well as a raw .h264 stream using mkvextgui.

I haven't found any tools to mux them back into an avi container without first re-encoding them to another codec or just a compromise somewhere. I'm looking to avoid re-encoding here. Redkawa has ps3video9 but it creates a file with a stereo 160kb audio stream - I want my surround.

I want to stuff both streams into an avi file, then the ps3 can play it- and hopefully nero can get what it needs from it to make my avchd disc's.

I realize MKV is a superior container but until its compatible with anything that matters to me I cant use it (wish I realized it first).

Anyone have any idea on what I could use to work with those raw streams and mux them to .avi files? Im surprised I haven't found real full fledged utilities out yet that perform my task.

[foxyshadis]

Well, you can think of it as stupid, but what other choice would you have had back then? Now you can use AVCHD with Nero, but it didn't have that option then, and while you could use MP4 with AC3, those only worked with Nero for a long time and still don't work on PS3.

But there is a solution: TsRemux can mux to ts directly from mkv. Hopefully avidemux will eventually get a AVC-in-TS capability as well.

[tastyratz]

Thanks for chiming in :-)
Is TsRemux the only app out there that will convert it? I would *prefer* to stay with the h264 and avoid as many transcodes as possible for the obvious size and quality benefits.

[nm]

As the name suggests, all tsremux does is remuxing. It won't re-encode the video to any other format, so H.264 will stay H.264; it will just be in a different container.

[tastyratz]

oh ok, I was under the impression it needed to be an mpeg 2 stream for TS.
Thanks!

[tastyratz]

Downloaded tsremux and it looks like on his thread that mkv support is still early and elementary. He said it only supports mpeg2 streams with ac3. Unfortunately I didn't do mpeg2 but chose h264 mpeg4 streams. Program freezes if I try to open the mkv file.
any other ideas?

[Schmendrick]

If you use the search function on this website you will find other threads with a solution to your problem!
Search for mkv2ts

[Adub]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1029552#post1029552

[tastyratz]

I found that thread, however I have tried elecard - doesn't seem to like any of my files and its choked on them several times.
the link on the bottom goes to tsremux which I have tried and doesn't work with the mpeg4 streams yet.

Ive tried searching but I haven't found anything that really helped me yet. I tried searching for mkv2ts like Schmendrick said but nothing appeared to fully apply.

[Adub]

Wait did you follow the instructions directly in the very first post I linked too?

there is absolutely no need for elecard of tsremux. Very first post.

All you need are MKVExtractGUI, or commandline if you wish, and Yamb/Mp4box. Plus MP42ts, but that link is provided.

Another option is here:
http://alkasar.online.fr/mkv2ts.html

[tastyratz]

I didn't try the yamb/mp4 util because there was a comment that it is not compatible with avc streams (was that post incorrect?).

I have used mkvextractgui to extract the ac3 and .h264 streams but I havent been able to get them in a nero/ps3 compatible container.

I am downloading mkv2ts from the bottom option right now as well (hope the app isnt all in french)

[tastyratz]

mkv2ts is legible for english speakers but it is internally french
It was chugging along fine the first 15 minutes or so but it seems to have stopped midway. I have the following as last in the log:
[2:59:01 PM] : Graph 1 en cours (fichier N°1)
In English:
[ 2:59:01 PM ]: Graph 1 in progress (N°1 file)

temp dir has several files, but no finished file output.
according to windows task manager I have no cpu usage or I/O rear/writes to the application right now. its at a standstill.
:-/

[foxyshadis]

mp4box isn't compatible with ac3, but it's definitely compatible with avc. Hmmm. Muxing the video to mp4 and then the mp4 and ac3 into m2ts might work? I can test tonight. A program stream muxer like xmuxer pro might work as well, but there are no free ones for avc iirc.

If you still want to get it into avi, you can use avc2avi and vdubmod or avimuxgui to insert the ac3, but I doubt that'll play on ps3.

These problems are why AVCHD hasn't taken off in any appreciable way. =\

[tastyratz]

yea its really too bad, I was incredibly pumped when I first heard about avchd and its a great alternative to people who cant afford next gen burners for awhile. I'm surprised you still cant find any of them that actually make a 720p disc without converting to 1080. Hopefully that will come soon too